Hello, chapter 20 here. Milestone chapter puts us over 80,000 words. Can I make to 100,000 by New Years? I'll try. Thanks to all who reviewed and followed. Let's gone on with the show.

Disclaimer: I own neither Naruto or One Piece

Chapter 20:Steep Climb

Wind rushed passed as the sleigh sped through the chilly woods. Dalton had informed them that at their current speed, they would arrive at Cocoa Weed soon.

"I apologize," he said, his voice raised to counter the wind, "I heard Kureha had come down from the mountain yesterday, so I assumed she wouldn't be back down for a few days. I sent your crew out there for no reason."

"You had no way of knowing," Vivi said, "And at least Luffy and Sanji are bring Nami to where the doctor is going to be, so that counts for something."

"Yeah," Usopp added, "All we need to do is meet up with this doctor, hand of our guest and tell her to rush on home."

"Still," Dalton said, his voice quiet, nearly drowned out by the wind, "It's my fault this country doesn't even have enough doctors."

"What," Vivi said "Dalton, how could that be your fault?"

Dalton gripped the reigns tighter. "In any case, let's hurry."

He urged their goats to run faster.

Naruto remained silent as he kept vigil over their poisoned patient. Despite his normally optimistic outlook, he couldn't help but to dwell on the dark idea that Matatabi was in some perilous situation. Those thoughts naturally expanded to Sasuke and the other Tailed Beasts.

Naruto's imagination conjured horrific scenarios they could be caught in. Trapped on a desert island with no way to escape, caught up in some war, adrift at sea, each worst than the last.

The sleigh hit a rough patch of trail and knocked Naruto from his negative thoughts. Something poked him in the leg and his eyes were drawn to the offender, a sheathed sword.

Usopp, jostled by the rough terrain, noticed Naruto staring at the weapon.

"Oh, yeah," the marksman said, drawing Naruto eyes to meet Usopp's, "You and Vivi didn't grab her sword. I figured that she might feel better having it with her when she gets cured and wakes up."

Naruto nodded, banishing the negative thoughts from his head, "Good idea, Usopp. Hey Dalton, how much longer until we get to this Cocoa place?"

"We're almost there," the island native replayed, "You can see the smoke from their chimneys over the trees now."

Sure enough, several columns of smoke were visible above the canopy. A few minutes later the buildings began to appear though the trees. Dalton drove the sleigh into the town and stopped in front of a restaurant called 'Stool'.

"This is the most popular place in the town," Dalton explained as they slid out of the sleigh, "If Kureha is in town, someone inside should know."

He lead them inside, Naruto carrying the unconscious woman.

'Really wish we knew her name,' he thought as he walking into the eatery, 'It's kinda weird having to call her 'girl' and other stuff.'

"What," Usopp cried, "She left already!?"

'Guess I shouldn't have gotten out of the sleigh.'

A young boy, laying on a couch, nodded, "Yeah. She treated me. Something 'bout my bones were sick."

A man carrying dished addressed Dalton, "You looking for the doctor?"

"Yes," Dalton replied, "We've got two different medical situations on our hands. Does anyone know where she may have gone?"

"I think I heard she was heading for Gyasta," one of the patrons supplied.

"Gyasta," Naruto asked, shifting the woman in his arms so she was more comfortable, or at least what he thought was more comfortable, "How far away is that?"

"Quite a bit away," Dalton said with a frown, "Several hours north, along the lake shore. Quite a popular spot for ice skating."

"Then we can't just stand around," Vivi stated, already heading to the door, "We need to get moving."

The doors burst open before Vivi could reach them, and a young man, rifle slung across his back, barged in.

"Dalton," the man said, his voice elevated and tense.

Dalton turned to the man, "What's wrong? Wait, weren't you on guard duty? Has something happened?"

"A ship," the man said, "A ship came up from under the ocean. All the other guards were attacked. It, it was Wapol. Wapol's back!"

The man's statement sent a shiver of fear through everyone in the room, now so silent a pin could have been heard.

"Where," Dalton said, his voice low, "was Wapol heading?"

"He's was heading straight for Big Horn!"

Dalton was moving before the man finished relaying the information. He paused just long enough to tell his guests to take his sleigh and head for Gyasta, before he strode outside and jumped onto a nearby horse.

He urged the beast forward, snow shooting up behind them as they sped towards Big Horn.

'Wapol,' Dalton thought as the wind bit at his exposed face, 'it's time to settle things once and for all'

The horse wasn't moving fast enough for Dalton, as so he jumped off the beast. As Dalton flew through the air his body began to change. Dark fur formed on his skin and his hands and feet began to melt into hooves. His face elongated into a bovine shape and horns sprouted atop his head.

Dalton landed on all fours and thundered down the forest path.

'I'm not doing this for justice, or other noble intentions. We bare the same sins. Just you wait, Wapol!'

Wapol stood atop his woolly hippo as the finished his meal of someone's roof, letting out a laugh.

"Delicious," he shouted, "Citizens of Drum, everything in this kingdom is nothing but food for me to enjoy! Kuromarimo, tell the people why I'm so great!"

Kuromarimo bowed his dark head, "Off course, sire. The fact you are king proves your greatness, your majesty."

Off to the side, behind Wapol, Musshuru let out a scoff.

'Enjoy your victory for now, brother. Soon I'll take back what was mine to begin with.'

Kuromarimo knelt before his king, "Sire, it seems that those Straw Hats were heading for the castle."

"What," Wapol shouted, "Why would they go there?"

"They're pirates, brother," Musshuru said, "They probably are trying to take some of the treasury."

"No, Lord Musshuru," Kuromarimo said, "It seems in your absence, that witch Dr. Kureha has taken up residence in the castle."

"What," Wapol shouted, even louder than before, "That hag is living in my castle!"

He turned to address his solders, "How dare that hag make a mockery of me! Men, we march on the castle! I'll devour that hag, along with those pirates!"

"No, this as far as you'll go!"

Dalton rushed into the town, looking fully human, drawing his shovel-like blade. He leap at his former sovereign and brought the blade down upon the tyrant's neck.

The force of the impact drove Wapol back, knocking him of his woolly stead and on the snow.

"Gyaa," he screamed, blood flowing from his cut neck, "I've been wounded." His words began to slur, as his blood left his body. "I'm going to die!"

"That's precisely why I've come here," Dalton said, "And I'll be glad once you're gone."

"Dalton," the two ministers, Kuromarimo and Chess, said as they shifted into combat stances; the clown-like chess drawing his bow and the afro-styled Kuromarimo bring up his afro-like boxing gloves.

"I'm surprised you're alive," Chess said, arrow trained on Dalton.

"It's hardly surprising," Dalton replied, "After all, Drum Kingdom was the foremost when it came to medical research and doctors."

"Yes, doctors," Kuromarimo said, "MD-20, attend the king. External wound unit, deploy."

Several men appeared from with Wapol's retinue of solders, donned in medical scrubs, wearing gloves and face masks. They descended upon Wapol with practiced precision, moving with grace as the tended Wapol's wounds, even repaying the minor damage to the king's armor.

"Ahh," Wapol said, "I though I was a goner."

"We couldn't be so lucky," Musshuru muttered, but with everyone focused on Wapol and Dalton, no one noticed.

"This land has no need for you," Dalton said, his voice resolute, "Leave this island, Wapol."

"Hmm, did you just use me name," Wapol scowled, "You're supposed to say, 'Your Majesty'. After all you are my subject."

"Dalton's not your subject," one of the townsfolk said, his courage stoked by Dalton's presence, "He's the only one from the former regime that fought for our country. He's risked his life for us!"

"It's a shame you didn't die," Wapol sneered, "While you were still captain of the Royal Guard! Mahahaha! You've survived well for a country without doctors."

"Drum may have had the best doctor's in the world," Dalton responded, "not that any outside her shores could have known that, outside of the twenty you hired and kept in your castle, that no doctor's lived in the kingdom. Because you exiled them!"

"Well that was the law," Wapol said flippantly.

"It's an absurdity," Dalton shot back, "that a county would have to beg it's king for access to medicine and care. No law should turn a county's people into hostages. Such things are call crimes!"

"Are you finished," Wapol said, flicking his hand to signal his men to take aim at Dalton, "Well even if you weren't, it's time for you to die. Men, kill him."

Dalton clenched his fist and grin his teeth in anger. His features began to change, growing more bestial.

"Because of the debt I owed your father, I hoped that one day you would realize the err of your ways, but it seems that was futile of me to hold that hope," Dalton said, his face looking more like an ox.

"Crap, that's his Bison model Ox Ox fruit power," one of Wapol's men said, "Men, fire!"

The line of solders fired at Dalton, his transformation complete, leaving him looking like a cross between man and beast. Dalton began to weave around the bullets, his speed leaving transparent afterimages as he danced across the cold ground.

"Just because you were my men once," Dalton growled, "doesn't me I'm going to go easy on you. Fiddle Banff!"

He rush at the men, blade spinning before him. He crashed into their line, sending them flying as the passed them.

"So that's the power of a Zoan-type Devil Fruit," one of the onlookers said in amazement.

Dalton glared at his former king and those that followed him, "You people have no place here. A kingdom that would choose to abandon it's people at the first sign of trouble is better off being destroyed."

Chess scoffed, "Look at you saying such arrogant words."

"We used to make up the king's 'Three Heads of Staff'," Kuromarimo said, "You know you can't take us both on."

Chess smiled and drew his bow, "And besides, we know your weakness!"

Dalton looked back at where Chess was aiming. A small group of men were running to the town. At their front was the man that had informed him that Wapol had returned. He had rallied the people of Cocoa Weed to fight. And they were heading straight into danger.

Chess loosed his arrows and Dalton rushed to intercept them, ready to sacrifice everything to save his people. He blurred in front of the charging men, the three arrows heading right for him.

A blur of motion to his right caught his eye as the projectiles neared, a blur of blue and black. Twin flashes of steel, faintly sparking with electricity reached the two nearest arrows, snapping the deadly projectiles before they could find their mark.

The figure, however could not strike the three arrow. A downward sword strike missed by centimeters and the arrow punctured Dalton in his lower abdomen.

The Bison man let out a grunt of pain as the arrow ran him threw. He'd seen Chess shoot enough times to know the arrow was sticking out behind him. He heard the men behind him skid to a sudden stop. He wasn't sure if it was because of his move to defend them, or the newcomer who had tried to save him.

'Is she, a Zoan,' he thought, fighting down the pain to focus on his would be savior. She stood in front of him, her two swords held in a relaxed guard. Her dark gray kimono did not hide the blue and black fur on her arms and legs, and her black hair flowed freely. A pair of ears atop her head were turned towards Wapol and her postured spoke of a deep anger at his former king. Her two tails flicked back and forth, occasionally an arc of electricity passed between the two appendages.

"I am sorry I was not able to stop all the arrows,"she spoke, her voice a rich contralto, though tinged with weariness. "I would suggests summoning a medic to attend you. I do not know why you are fighting these fiends, but I have my own business with them."

Dalton tried to speak, but blood pooled in his mouth, eliciting a cough. The men from Cocoa Weed and some from Big Horn rushed to his side. Someone pressed something onto his wounds. He began to fade, his vision going dark as the feline newcomer began to advance on Wapol and his men.

Matatabi strode steadily towards the men who had attacked the Alday Pirates, had killed them when they tired to defend their ship. Who had launched Myukuru into the sea. Vengeance burned within her, letting her ignore the cold that threaten to freeze her and the exhaustion that plagued her ever step.

It was a different emotion that what she had felt in the Elemental Nations. There, it had been a selfish anger. She raged for herself, at the ninja that attacked her, subdued her and sealed her with Jinchuriki. But now her anger felt righteous. She was no longer angry for her own sake, she had someone to fight for. And she would let that anger be stated.

Her eyes met the man that had knocked Myukuru into the sea and had prior, released some kind of cloud that poisoned their ship mates. Her eye twitched at hos uninjured he appeared.

"So you survived," the man said, his upturned hand releasing a small plume of poisoned dust, "I wonder if that other girl did as well."

Before Matatabi could retort, the ground shook beneath them. Everyone turned their eyes to the mountains. A wall of snow, carrying with it the debris of the forest came rumbling down, heading right for Big Horn.

Everyone began to scatter, running as fast as they could to avoid being buried by the wave of snow.

"Chess, Kuromarimo, get on," Wapol shouted from atop his hippo as his solders ran around him. The two ministers climbed atop the steed. Musshuru also jumped atop the beast.

"Robson," Wapol commanded his steed, "Switch to serious mode!"

The hippo let out a snort and stood up, stretching it's legs to their maximum. With it's long legs Robson the White Walkie sped out of Big Horn. Wapol's doctors tried to catch a ride on the furry hippo, but Wapol kicked at them when they tried.

Matatabi began to follow the fleeing Wapol when she noticed the fallen form of Dalton, face down in the snow. In the rush to escape the avalanche, the men who were attending him had dropped the wounded man. She saw his body shift, losing the bison-like qualities and returning to a fully human form.

'That must be a wielder of a Zoan-type Devil Fruit,' she thought, recalling Myukuru's explanations. Her eyes flashed to the retreating hippo, before snapping back to the fallen man, a man who risked his life to save others.

Matatabi altered her course, her sense of honor quieting her thirst for vengeance.

'I will have to work fast,' she thought as she sheathed one of her swords. With the other she cut through the arrow shaft. Sheathing her blade, she knelt down at his side and slipped her arms under the large man. She let out a grunt of effort as she hauled him upright.

'He is at least two feet taller than I am,' she noted as she strained under the man's bulk, 'and I have not not time to recover my strength.'

She knew it was foolish to risk herself like this. She had her pupil to find, or at least avenge. Her siblings were out in the world, just waiting for her to find them. As was Uzumaki Naruto.

And on some level she knew he would not have left this valiant man to die, so neither would she.

She began to move, her legs burning from the exertion. Slowly she picked up speed as the wall of white closed in behind her. She grit her teeth as she tensed her legs and jumped, landing atop on of the town's buildings.

She held onto the roof's narrow protrusion as the snow washed over the town. The avalanche crashed into her and the unconscious Dalton and for a moment she withstood nature's onslaught. Then the cold began to affect her, her fingers being to lose their hold.

She let out a defiant cry as she was pushed off the roof, both her and Dalton vanishing into the cold expanse of white.

Right after Dalton heads back to Bighorn

Naruto, Usopp and Vivi, along with their unconscious passenger, rushed back to the sleigh and with the guide of one of the residents of Cocoa Weed, headed for Gyasta. Usopp took the reigns while Vivi fished out a map she had seen tucked under the seat. Naruto took the rear seat, carefully placing their passenger beside him.

Cocoa Weed quickly faded behind them as the goats pulled them through the woods. Vivi took her eyes of the map and glanced back at the girl.

"How's she doing," she questioned Naruto.

"I don't know," Naruto almost growled out.

"Hey," Vivi said, throwing her hands up in a placating fashion, "No need to take it out on me."

Naruto ran a gloved hand threw his hair and sighed.

"Sorry," he said, his tone contrite, "Guess I'm just stressed out. I don't even know if she really knows Matatabi, or if its the Matatabi I know. But between this and Nami's sickness…."

He shook his head, "The sooner we find this doctor lady, the better. How far away you think we are from this Gyasta place?"

"I don't know," Vivi said sheepishly as she turned her attention to the map, "But I'm sure we're on the right path. I think."

"You think," Usopp interjected, "Luffy and Sanji are heading to an empty castle right now. And Nami might not have a lot of time left! Who knows what those two would do in that case! You're a princess, you have to figure something out."

"What does being a princess have anything to do with reading maps," Vivi shot back, "If you're concerned with where we're going, you read the map."

She waved the map before Usopp's eyes.

"I wouldn't be able to tell north from south with all this snow even with a map," Usopp bemoaned, "But there should be some sign posts. I saw some when we headed to Cocoa Weed. Keep your eyes open guys."

"Right," both Naruto and Vivi responded, not noticing that they had passed a sign moments before while they converse. That sign signaled that Gyasta was to the left. Oblivious to the missed turn, they kept their current route, the path slowly become less traveled and rougher.

Soon, however, the path became overrun with snow, and their goat-powered sleigh could not longer travel.

"Great," Usopp bemoaned, "the snow's so deep I can't even see the road anymore!"

"We've gone pretty far up the mountain," Vivi noticed, "I think we may have gone the wrong way."

"We're going to be chasing this crazy granny across the whole island at this rate," Naruto said, "Maybe we should just head up to the castle. We know she be going there at some point."

Suddenly, the quiet wintery setting was upset by a deep rumbling sound. The trio of pirates spun their heads around, looking to the source of the noise. Their heads then all turned towards the mountain, horror painting their faces.

"Avalanche," they screamed in unison. They scrambled out of the sleigh, Vivi pulling the pin leashing the goats to the sleigh so they run from the wave of snow falling towards them.

Naruto scooped up their poisoned passenger but before he fled he noticed her sword. He didn't know if it meant anything to her, but it was something familiar to her. He knew he'd be heartbroken if something happened to his forehead protector.

With his hands occupied and Vivi and Usopp already running down the path, Naruto only had one option. He summoned Blazing Spiral and directed the spirit to pick up the sword. The spirit gingerly picked up the sheathed blade with it's arms and cradled it with it's elbows. Its tempest of ghostly flames lightly ground against the sheath, but the blade remained firmly held in place.

Naruto began to follow after Usopp and Vivi when the girl in his arms began to cough and seize. He slowed slightly and turned his gaze to her. His eyes widened as she coughed again, a fine spray of blood passing past her lips, the red contrasting her tanned skin.

"Shit," Naruto swore, "Guys! She's getting worse!"

Usopp and Vivi didn't respond. Naruto realized that they couldn't hear him over the roar of the avalanche, not with the distance between them. He glanced back and cursed again as the wave of snow grew closer.

Naruto poured on the speed, catching up to his comrades, Blazing Spiral trailing just behind him.

"We have a problem," Naruto shouted over the avalanche.

"You think," Usopp and Vivi shouted back.

"I mean about her," he said, tilting the girl so they could see the blood around her mouth, "I don't think she's got a lot of time left."

Naruto paused for a moment, before adding, "I might be able to get over the avalanche. It's not knocking down those bigger trees, and if I can get to the top of one I can ride this out and then head up to the castle."

"Do it," Vivi said, "We'll be OK. Right, Usopp?"

"Y-yeah," the sniper said, "D-don't worry about a thing!"

"I'll keep an eye out for Luffy and Sanji," Naruto said, eyes sweeping for a good target, "Hopefully they avoided this avalanche. Let's go Spiral!"

Naruto broke away from his companions and jumped into a moderately tall tree, quickly ascending to the top. He reach the top just before the wave of snow crashed into the tree. The impact nearly knocked Naruto off balance but he recovered by wrapping his right arm around the trunk.

With a mental command he had Blazing Spiral jump above him. The spirit dispelled, letting the sword it was carrying fall. Naruto deftly caught the blade near the tsuba with his right hand and swung the end of the sheath towards his other hand. With the sword acting as a brace, Naruto rode out the avalanche, careful not to hold to tightly to the girl, who thankfully hadn't coughed after they jumped into the tree.

Soon the torrent of snow abated and Naruto surveyed the landscape. Apart from a few treetops, everything was white. He twisted back to where Usopp and Vivi had been running. They were nowhere to be seen. Naruto shook his head, clearing away the dark thoughts that had begun to take root.

"They fine," he reassured himself, "Usopp tougher than he looks and Vivi infiltrated a criminal organization. A little snow's not gonna hurt them."

He looked at his remaining companion. Her breathing seemed more labored after her coughing fit, and sweat formed more readily on her brow.

"Don't worry," he said to her as he judged the distance to the nearest tree, "next stop's the doctor's. We'll be there in no time."

And he jumped.

Naruto hurried along the empty snowy expanse, having run out a trees to run atop as the terrain became more mountainous. Thankfully, the girl in his arms hadn't seemed to grow worst, though he was sure she wasn't fairing any better.

"Almost to the mountain," he said, as much to himself as to his companion, "Just have to climb it and we'll be good."

He craned his head up as the drum shaped mountain loomed ahead of him. A few minutes later, he stood at its base, wondering just how to climb it.

"Wish I could still tree climb," Naruto bemoaned as he wracked his brain for a solution, "I could just try to climb it bare handed."

He touched the cold monolith with a bare hand, testing its durability. It was solid.

Naruto frowned for a moment before he curled his hand into a fist and drew forth his power. Ghostly fire swirled around his fist as fast as he could will it and he ran it into the stone. A dull grinding sound filled the air as spectral flame drilled into the mountain.

Naruto pulled back his hand and inspected the hole he had carved.

"I could make hand holes as we go up, but how am I going to climb without something to hold me up? Or with you in my arms?"

For a moment he considered summoning Spiral slightly above him as he climbed to carve out the way up, but dismissed it as the spirit would fall before being able to carve a hold big enough for him to grasp.

Then, an idea struck.

Naruto fished out a kunai and inspected the edge, finding it acceptable. He then drove it into the mountain at a downward angle. He pulled down on the ninja dagger, finding it more than adequate to hold their weight as they climbed. He pulled out the rest of his kunai in turn, inspecting each for cracks that could lead to problems during the climb. He found no major damage in his remaining weapons, but most were becoming dull and would grow weaker as he climbed.

He gently placed the girl down against the mountain, laying her katana against her body, and removed his kunai from the rock, holding it in his left hand. In a flash of yellow, a spiritual copy landing in his right. Naruto ran the phantom kunai into the stone and tested its hold. It matched the real kunai's holding power.

"OK this can work," he muttered, "going to be hell on my arms, but can work."

Naruto removed his winter coat, suppressing a shiver as the cold bit into his more exposed body. He twisted the garment into a crude rope. He maneuvered himself so the girl was aligned with his back, her sword sandwiched between them. Once they were flush, Naruto lifter her up, bending over to keep her from slipping. He whipped his makeshift rope around her back and pulled it taut. He tied it around his waist and stood up straight. The girl sagged a bit as gravity did its work, but she stayed affixed to his back.

"Alright," Naruto said, "Hang on tight. Going up!"

Real kunai in his left and phantom blade in his right, Naruto began to scale the mountain. Right, left, right, left, Naruto slowly made his way up the cold stone. He lost track of time as the ground grew more and more distant. His arms burned as he climbed ever higher, their combined weight beginning to wear on him.

He kicked his feet against to stone, looking for any purchase to alleviate some of the strain on his arms. When he found none, in his frustration, he kicked at the mountain. His eyes lit up as he felt a weak part of the mountain crumble away.

He smiled like a madman, "Why didn't I think of this before."

He pulled his leg back and summoned Spiral's fire around his foot and slammed it into the side. Like his fists, the blow carved a hole and Naruto let out a triumphant cry.

With a manic grin, Naruto redoubled his efforts, stabbing into the mountain with his kunai and carving up footholds with his enhanced feet.

Still the summit remained elusive. He continued his climb; right hand, left foot, left hand, right foot. As he climbed his mind wandered. At first it was the normal sort of things: worry for his friends, both on the island and elsewhere in the world, where he was going to get his next ramen meal, a random idea for the book he still needed to start working on.

But he time went on, his thoughts began to become, odd. He started to hear whispers, indistinct at first but they grew louder as he climbed. The sounds of an occupied ship played in his ears, of men shouting orders, of the sea crashing against her sides.

He heard names among the whispers, someone called for a Captain Alday, another shouted for a Quartermaster named Avery. The sound of swords clashing replaced the ship-board noise and Naruto could swear he could something in the rock.

He saw two figures engaged in swordplay. One figure, with twin tails flickering back and forth, swung with two swords, her strikes quick and fluid. The second held only one sword in front of her, her longer arms keeping the former at bay with deft, sharp movements.

He heard the two speak, one as a mentor, the other the pupil. The pupil caller her master Mata-sensei and the teacher named her Myukuru.

Naruto blinked and the vision and whispered faded. He shook his head and blinked.

"What the hell was that," he said, breathing hard, "Am I losing it?"

The girl on his back shifted, coughing lightly.

He shook his head again, "No time to think about it. Gotta keep moving."

He looked up and let out a small gasp. He could see the top of the mountain, coated in a rim of snow.

"How did I get here so quick," Naruto said, astonished. The last time he's checked the top was still hidden from view. But that was before…

Before he began to hear and see things.

"Doesn't matter," Naruto admonished himself, "Keep your head in the game, Uzumaki. Almost there."

He picked up his pace, doing his best to ignore the pain shooting up his arms and legs. He crossed the final yards with a burst of speed that surprised him. He dismissed his summoned kunai as he reached the edge, and took hold of the cold rock under the snow.

With a grunt, he hoisted himself up, dropping his real kunai in the snow to brace with his left hand. His chest heaved with heavy breath as he stood atop the mountain, his eyes widening at the sight of the castle.

It stood proudly in front of him, white and blue with tall spires. He began to walk towards the main door, his steps beginning to grow sluggish.

"Look," he said, swaying slightly as he walked, "The door's open. The doctor must be waiting for us."

He neared the open door, some part of his mind noticing the bird's nest perched atop it, and rapped his hand against it. He walked over the threshold and took in as deep a breath as he could.

"Oi, Witch Doctor," he shouted, "You've got a patient down here! She's been poisoned by some guy call Musshuru!"

And Naruto keeled over, falling flat on his face. Before he lost consciousness, he heard heavy footfalls and smiled. He'd made it. Now he could rest.

He didn't notice the tall, fur-covered figure emerge from the castle's interior. The large figure quickly made his way to the downed pair, checking over them.

"Copper," a woman's voice echoed down the halls, "is it Musshuru's work?"

"Yes," the now named Chopper said, untying the girl from the blond and pulled both into his arms, one cradled in each, "And the one who brought her is slightly frostbitten. At least he's not as injured as the other guys."

"Busy day," Kureha commented, "Hurry up and throw him in with the rubbery one. Bring the girl and ready the antidote. If I know that sadist, he'll have used his slow acting spores to make her suffer. Then we'll need to finish up on the two that idiot brought us."

"Yes, doctrine," Chopper intoned and set about on his assigned tasks. As he moved through the castle he looked down at the blond, slightly amazed that two people had risked their lives to reach them. He pushed those thoughts away, focusing on the needed medical attention their now five patients needed.

Busy day, indeed.

And cut. So Naruto made it Drum Castle and stumbled into the tender care of the island's sole remaining doctors. Will they be able to treated the sick and wounded? What was up with Naruto as he scaled the mountain? Did Matatabi, Dalton, Usopp and Vivi survive the avalanche? Are the goats OK? You'll have to read the next chapter to find out. Which will most likely be sooner rather than later, as I'm having a ball writing this.

Leave a review, if you're so inclined.

See ya later!